Proposed Flinders Ranges nuclear site identified as pastoral property belonging to former Liberal senator Grant Chapman,ABC News, By Daniel Keane, 16 Nov 15 A former South Australian senator and Liberal Party president who jointly owns one of several proposed sites for a nuclear dump in the state said he would be willing to allow high-level waste to be stored on the property in the future.

Grant Chapman owns the long-term lease to Wallerberdina, a station near Barndioota in the Flinders Ranges about 40 kilometres north-west of Hawker, which is currently used to graze cattle.

News of its potential future use has alarmed some neighbours, who are opposed to a nuclear dump and said they had not been consulted.

Mr Chapman said if approved, a proposed nuclear storage facility would eventually occupy 100 hectares in the northern section of the 25,000-hectare property.

He said he nominated the site several months ago…….Mr Chapman was a strong supporter of storing nuclear waste in Australia during his time as a senator, chairing a Senate committee into the subject.

“If it was shown to be safe for that high level waste to be eventually transformed into a form that was safe to store in that situation then certainly the property would be a potential site for that,” he said…..

Neighbour angered and concerned by location

Artist Regina McKenzie, who lives on neighbouring Yappala Station, which shares a boundary with Wallerberdina, said she and her family were angry and frustrated they had not been consulted.

Ms McKenzie said she had heard rumours Wallerberdina was being considered but was shocked when that was confirmed by the Federal Government.

She said Aboriginal people have suffered greatly as a result of the Maralinga nuclear tests and she feared history would repeat itself.

“The water here that we use, the aquifers that are under the earth, what if they get contaminated by some leakages or something?” she said.

“I don’t care how safe they say it is. If it’s so safe, why don’t they take it back and put it in their own back yards. If it’s so safe, have it in Canberra there where all the pollies sit.”

Ms McKenzie said the area was culturally significant to the Adnyamathanha people.

We don’t want [waste] in the area. We didn’t want them to take it out of the ground in the first place, it’s against our culture, and now they’re sending it back to the country,” she said.

“It’s not right. If they take it, they should keep it. It’s poison. We don’t want the poison back.

“I’m a little bit scared about it. My grandchildren are going to come back here and visit as well.